Coin-controlling mechanism for vending-machines.



7 62%] WRNEY N. 1). NELSON.

COIN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 12, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

V N. 1). NELSON.

GOIN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION TILED MA'E.12, 1908.

919,749. Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORN EY N. D. NELSON COIN GONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 190B.

Patented Apr 27, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

llllllllllllllll lllllllll INVENTOR WITNESSES .Wls'om ATTORNEY BY 4% n coin-controlling mechanism for vending -ma-- NILS DKNELSON,

' i Specification or Letters Patent. Original application filed July 27; 1906, Serial PATENT ome J a v or ew Yemen -Y. Q 1 colu-conzrnonnme inner-m ner: FOR

welcome-Meanings.

To all whom 'it may concern: a I

Be it known that I, NILs D. NELSON, a subject of Great Britain, and a, resident of New.

York city, in the county of New. York. and

5 State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements n Com-Con trolling Mechanism for Vending-Ma chines-,-* of which the following is a specifi'cat1on. The invention relates to lmprovements 1n chines, and it consists in the novel features and combinations of parts hereinafter de scribd, and particularly pointed outin the claims. l

This application is a division of my application filed July 27, 1906, Serial No. 327,990 for Letters Patent for improvements in prepayment gas meters, the patent which issued on said application being datedNoo vember 19, 1907 and numbered 871,290.

In presenting my-invent-ion ,he'rein I illus-v trate the same in operativeconnection (with the meter mechanism shown in said Patent No. 871,290, sothat the invention may be readily understood audits construction, op-

eration and utility clearly ex lained.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

tion, partly broken away, througha casing o I n 3 I l Figure. 1 1s a front elevation ofa gas meter of usual construction equipped with a coin controlhng mechanism constructed in accordance with and embodying my inven a 3g tion; Fig. 2 is atop plan view, partly broken away, of the coin controlling mechanism'and its casing, said mechanism being shown'i'n "operative relation tothe means cooperating with it; Fig. 3 isa vertical longitudinal sec-' containing the coin controlling mechanism and its cooperating parts; Fig.3, is a horizontal section'through a portion of thecoincontrolling mechanism on the dotted line 3 -3 bf. Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a vertical trans-' verse section through the coin controlling mechanism on the dotted lines 44 of Figs. 2 and 5; Fig. 5 is a detached horizontal section of the same on the dottd'line' 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same on the dotted line 66 of Fig. 7 Fig. '7 is a horizontal section through the same on the dotted line 77 of Fig. 6, the section. being through the casing and not through the mechanism contained therein,

'pthich is representedin tolp elevation; and L ig. 8 is avertical-longitu inal section of a portion oi the coin 'controllin mechanismtaken. on the central dotted line 8- 8 of i 5.. the drawings 10 designates a meter and 11 a'box or casing connected therewith and containing or supporting the features constituting the present invention. The box 11 has atits rear end a box like section 12 (Fig. 3) interposed in thegas-inlet 13 and con- Patented April 27, 1909. 1 No. 327,990. mvmea and thisapplication med llareh 1 2, 1908.

'ta'ining the valve 14: for controlling the entrance of gas tojhe meter.- Thevalve 14; is connected with the rock shaft 15, which is operated by a crank arm 16 having a. lateral'ly projecting finger 17 whi by the stein 18 ofa longitudin lly dis osed worm 19 adapted ,to be moved invvar y or "toward the rear (without rotating), for opening. the valve 14, from the manually operable crank-handle 20upon. the intro-' 'duction of the is engaged roper coin to the mechanism and in a reverse or outwardly direction.

suitable gearing, fully shown same, without rotating, during the. openingof the valve 14. The stem 18 is moved out- 'wardly or toward the frqnt during the gas consumption to close the valve 14 and 1n- '"wardly or toward-the rear by means'of the I u crank-handle 20 to open said valve.

The worm 19 has uponit a nut '23 Fig.8)

held by a suit-able bracket and having. secured upon it a disk 24, whichv is only rofated when a proper coin hasfb een intro-. duced ti) the machine and thehandle 20 is operated to open the valve' 14.. The outward 'moveme'nt, toward the front, of the stem 18'results1in the Wornr19 rotating within the nut 23 yvithout actuating the same or any part connected therewith. The inward movement of the stem 18 and worm 19f"for opening the valve-14 is direct and without said stem and wormbeing rotated, 1

this direct movement ofsaid stem 'and worm being, effected by imparting. rotary motion is the (l sk 24 an nut 23. by t means hrei p1ns26, a'nd said disk remains stationary,

han ,duced into the mac ine. The disk 24 is held against rotation, except when actuated from the handle by means of a dog 27, whose engagin ,end enters the recess 25 which may at t e time be atthe up er edge of the disk. The 'dog 27 is presse against the disk24 by means of a spring 28 and is secured upon the rock shaft 29 carrying a crank-arm 30, which, upon the applicat on of a proper coin to the machine and the actuation 'of the same by the coin holding mechanism, is elevated by the contact therewith of the coin,-numbered 31, for the purpose of turning the shaft 29 and elevatlng the dog 27 from contact with the disk24,

so that the latter by the contact of the same 2 coin with one of the pins 26 may be com pelled to rotate and im art its motion to the nut 23, for driving t e worm 19 and its stem 18 inwardly to open the valve 14.

In the frontof the casing 11 is a circular frontwardly projecting section 32 contain-. ingthe coin slot 33 at one side of the'center thereof and opening at its lower side into a vertical inwardly inclined chute 34, down through which the coins fall into a drawer orcoin receptacle 35 (Fig. 1) provided't o receive them.

The coin receiving means comprise a disk 39 which fits within the forwardly projecting section 32 .of the casing 11 and is close against the inner face thereof, as shown in Figs. 5, 7 8, and this disk 39 carries upon its front face a pin 40 which enters the hub I 41 6f the crank handle 20, the said hub be-,

ing secured to said pinby means of a transverse pin 42 or other suitable means. The J side of the section 32 isprovided with a stud 43 (Fig, 7) which serves as a stop and alsoas a means for keeping the disk 39 close against the inner front wall of the section- 32. The disk 39 is formed in its edge with a recess 44 which permits said disk to pass by the stud 43 when assembling the parts of the apparatus, this recess 44 bemg necessary, because the edges of the disk 39 snugly fit within the circular edges of the section 32. I At its inner face the disk 39 is formed with a hollow cylindrical hub or sleeve 45, which extends inwardly to and bears upon the front edges of the nut 23 and receives within it and forms a housing for the worm 19.". Upon the inner face of the disk 39 and near one edge thereof is .secured a stop pin .46, and. said inner face, at one side of the sleeve 45, is provided with a coin holding frame 47 formed of two parallel plates exce t when it is rotated frdm the crank tile 20 after apro "er c in has been introproperly separated 'to receive between them a coin 31, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the frame 47 being closed at its outer or front edge with the exception of a sufiicient portion at the side of one end thereof to match the coin slot 33, there being an opening 48 in the disk 39 (Fig. 8) corresponding with the coin slot 33 leading into the space, nu1n bered 49, in the frame 47, so that a coin into the fact that the inner wall closing the rear edge of the space 49 varies in wi 11, as at 50. If a coin less than the 'proper size were introduced into the frame 47 it would not be held at one end of said frame in the manner shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 3, but would slip through said frame upon the turning of.the latter from its horizontal position (which is the introductory position for the coin, as shown in Fig. 8,) without operating any of the mechanism. The inner or rear edge of the frame 47 is formed near one end with a recess 51 (Fig. 5) to ermit of a limited exposure of the edge of the coin 31 so that it may contact, when the crank handle 20 and disk or plate 39 are operated, with, one of the pins 26 on the disk 24, for the purpose oflrotating said disk, and the said inner edge of the frame 47 near its other end is formed with a recess 52, so that during the rotation of the frame 47 from the crank handle 20, said frame may pass by the other pin 26 on said disk 24 without touching the same.

At the receiving end of the frame 47 there is provided in the outer edge of said frame a recess 53 (Figs. 5 and 7) which permits the exposure of a portion of the coin 31 so that during the rotation of the frame 47 the coin before reaching the pin 26 on the disk 24 to rotate the latter, may be carried against the crank arm 30 and elevate the dog 27 from the disk 24, thus freeing said disk 24 so that it. may be rotated by the pressure of the coin against the pin 26. At the opposite end of the frame 47 (Fig. 5) is formed a recess 54, so that during the rotation of the frame 47 said recess 54 may pass along by the crank arm30 without touching the same. When the frame 47 is rotated without a proper coin being therein, the recess 53 will also pass by said crank arm 30 and allow the latter to remain at rest, whereby the dog 27 maintains the disk 24 in a locked position and the; worm 19 is held at crank ha dle 20 to .the disk 24 and through said'tlisk and its'nut '23 to the worm 19, a

f proper .eoiu "must be introduced into the frame 47,:since the'coin is utilizedyfirst to free the dog27v from the disk 24 and then to (Fig. 5) which permit'ssaid frame 47 to rotate bythe stop pin 43 fixed in the circular frame section 32, while' at the receiv'in end" .ofthe frame 47 nosuchrecess is provi ed, it being intended that the receiving end of. the

t frame 47shallstrike against the stop 43 and become arrested thereby when said frame is in a. horizontal position in line withthe coin receiving slot 33. After-the coinhas been introduced intothe frame 47 the crank handle 20 is moved downwardly toward theleft, looking at Fig 1,,soas to carry the coin up- 23 ward ly against the crank arm and thenagainst a pin 26 of the disk-24', and this movement is continued until the receiving end 'of the frame 47 has performed about three-quarters of a rotation, and said end 30 stands 'ertically adja'cent to the left. hand edge, looking at Fig. 1, of the chute 34, at which time the coin will fall from. said frame and pass downwardly along said chute into the cash receptacle 35. ,When .35 the frai'ne47 thus attains its Verticaldischarge positiomthe pin 46 onfthe disk'l39 will contact wit-hthe stop 43and arrest said disk and said frame 47. When the coin 31 is in thereceiving end of the frame4'7 and the latter is beingrotated, said coinis held between the rear wall of the frame 47 and the inner face'of the-front section 32 of the casin'g, a portion of the edge of the coin remaining in theslot 48 in the disk 39. I 14-5 form in the inner wall of thefront section 32 a vertical groove 56 in line with ,the coin when the latter reaches its discharge posiition', so that the coin may readily-escape f Ldo'wnwardly into the chute 34, the opening 50 48 in the disk 39'extending to the outward edgeof said disk and passing into line with said groove 56 when the frame47 attains its discharging position. When the admission slot 48 of the disk 39 passes from the coin slot 33, the face of said disk closes said slot. The crank handle 20 is with the'disk 3,9 and I provide said handle, as shownin Fig. 1, with a knife 57, so that in the event that a person should introduce a coin tied to a string or the like through-the slot 33,-the n'lovement of the disk 39 by means of the handle) 20 would result in the string or the likeheinpfsevere'd by the knife 57. The slot "48 in'the disk39 when moving upwardly 66 from theadmission slot 33 and due to the rest. In order to'iinpartmiitiou-ffrom the fl'ect the rotation of said ditik wlth its nut factthatsaid slot 48 is below the center of said. disk, carries its outer end upwardly, first from the slot 33, thus causing any string or wire which might be connected with a coin to slide alon the slot 33 toward the inner end thereof in position for the knife 57 to perform its function; f

. The disk 24 is formed with slots 59 through wh1ch an instrument could pass, should one be inserted through the coin slot 33 inan attempt to operate the internal mechanism without the use of a coin. l'n the casing 11 I provide segmental plates 60 which are in line with the circular iirontsection 32 of said casing and form Walls within which the outer edges of the frame 47 may rotate during the operation of the machine, the inner edges of said plates 60 being flanged inwardly, as shownin Fig. 5,,to-encompass the disk 24. The upper edge of the right hand segmental plate 60 (Fig. 3) serves as a stop for the crank arm 30 whenthe dog 27 .is in engagement with one of the recesses 25 of the disk 24.

In the initial condition of th emechanis m constituting my invention, the parts will be in the relative positions shown in 3, the valve14 being closed, the crank handle m a vertical position and the coin receiv- 7/ mg frame 47 in a horizontal position with 95 the entrance opening 4,3.thereto in line with the. coin slot 33, as shown in Fig. 8. When the parts are in the position just stated. the worm 19 and its stein are in their extreme forward position. The consumer desiring topurchase, gas will insert the proper coin, a silver quarter, for illustration, through the coin slot 33, and into the space 49 of the frame 47 to the position indicated by dotted lines 1n Fig. 5 and full lines in Fig. 4, and thereupon the consumer will rotate the crank handle- 20 from the position shown in Fig. 1 downwardly towardthe left until the said handle completes a three-quarter turn, when the frame 47 will attain a vertical position in line with the left. hand edge of the chute 34, looking at the front of the device, and the coin escape downwardlyito the cash box 35. The rotation of the frame 47 with the coin 31 therein results in said coin Being 115 carried upwardly and around toward the left as shown in Fig. 6, said coin at the exposure recess 53,in the frame 47 first acting against the crank arm 30 to free the dog 27 from the disk 24 and then at the exposure recess 51- in said frame engaging a pin 26 on said disk 24 and effecting during the continued movement of said frame the rotation of said disk, said disk with each operation of the frame 47, while holding a com, making about one-half of a rotation. The rota- .tion' of the disk 24, by means of the coin, results in the nut23 having a corresponding rotation and driving the worm 19 and stem shown is constructedto receive elg I r FJ the apparatus the purchaser would insert. one com n the manner hereinbefore -described and operate the handle 20, and there upon he will return the handle to its initial position. moving it downwardly toward the left and then upwardly to theposltion shown in Fig.-1,,and then successively introduce the further coins and operate the said handle in the same manner that he did upon the introduction .of the first coin. Each successive operation of the handle Wlll result in the'wonn 19 and stem 18 moving inwardly toward the rear. During the con sumption of the gas the Worm 19 and stem 18 will be moved frontwardly, as hereinbe- 2O fore explained, and thereby be returned to their initial position preparatory to the further operation of the same by means ofa coin to be introduced through" the coin slot 33. L i

The present applicatibn is not limited to the use of the worm 19 and stem 18 for operating the valve of a gas meter, since the features constituting myjinvention' may be used in other forms of vending machines.

My invention is, however partlcularly applicable to prepayment gas meters, since in such use the flow of the gas as consumed may be relied upon to return the worm 19 to its initial position after having been actuated through the medium of the crank handle 2Q and coin held within the frame 47. lVha-t I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A coin controlling mechanism for vend- 40 ing machines comprising a frame for receiving the coin, an inclosing casing having a coin ,slot leading to-said frame when the latter is in its initial position, an exposed crank for rotating said frame and having a cutting edge adapted torsweep by said slot for severing any cord that may be attached to the coin, and means on the rotation of said frame and actuated by said coin for operating thevending mechanism; substan- 0 tia lly asset forth.

2. coin controlling mechanism for vending 'machines comprising a rotary frame having a coin receiving space at one side of its axis of rotation, an inclosing casing havs ing a coin slot leading to said space in said frame and located below and to one'side of said axis,.an exposed crank connected with said frame in line with the axis thereof for rotating said frame and having a cutting edge adapted" to sweep by said slot for severing any cord that may be attached to the coin, and means on the rotation of said frame and actuated by said coin for o erating the vendmgnnechanism; substantia lly as set forth;

3'. A coin controlling mechanism for vending machines comprising a rotary frame composed of parallel sides forming a space between them to receive the coin, a casing inclosing said rotary frame and having a fadecontaining a coin-slot leading thereto, at disk on the outer end of said frame close to said face and slotted to admit the coin and hold one edge thereof during the rotation of said frame, means forrotating said frame, and means in the path of the coin carried thereby andnto be actuated theresaid face having a vertical groove (56), to aid in releasing the coin when said frame reaches its discharging position; substantially as set forth. r v

a. A coin controlling mechanism for vending machines comprising 'a rotary frame composed of parallel sides forming a space between them to receive the coin, an inclosing casing "having in its face a coin slot leading to said frame, a rotary plate (24) for actuating the vending mechanism and having" ins 26 projected toward said frame, means or normally locking said plate stationary, and means for rotating said frame, said frame having, in itsinner edge, recesses 51, 52 adapted to pass over free'of said pins 26 when said frame is rotated without a coin being therein and to expose at one thereof the edgeof a coin placed'in the frame so that upon the rotation of said ;frame said edge of the coin may move againstone of said pins and actuate said plate, and said frame having t its ends recesses 53, 54 ,adapted to pass by said locking means when said frame is rotated without a coin being therein aid to expose at one thereof the edge of a coin placed in the frame so that upon the rotation of the frame said edge of the coin may move against and actuate said locking means to release said plate preparatory to the movement of the latter; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York'and State of New York this 10th day of March A. D. 1908.

NILS D. NELSON.

CHAS. C. GILL. A 

